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Dear Junk Mailers: Leave My Son Alone
NewsWeek ^

Posted on 02/27/2007 10:12:45 AM PST by SmoothTalker

"Feb. 19, 2007 issue - When his 18th birthday arrived, my son, Jacob, became awfully popular. The U.S. Navy wanted him. "Before you find your place in the world, maybe you should see it first," it urged. A local menswear shop offered him 50 percent off a tuxedo package for high-school graduation. And a razor company sent him a free razor, hoping, I suppose, to make a lifelong customer out of him. Their only miscalculation was that Jacob didn't shave. Nor was it likely that any of the armed forces would gain Jacob's services. And he certainly wouldn't graduate from high school. Jacob, you see, died in 1993. He was only 7 years old when a cancerous brain tumor stole him from us."

"I thought I had learned not to take these mailings personally, but in the months surrounding Jake's 18th birthday I had to throw out dozens of letters soliciting my dead son. How galling it was to receive envelopes with bright colors and bold lettering urging him to have professional high-school graduation pictures taken, to consider a particular limousine service for prom night or to make sure not to drink and drive."

(Excerpt) Read more at msnbc.msn.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
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How awful.
1 posted on 02/27/2007 10:12:47 AM PST by SmoothTalker
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To: SmoothTalker

I know the feeling. My dad has been dead for many years and yet he still gets junk mail.

I'm sure other FRers have similar experiences.


2 posted on 02/27/2007 10:16:34 AM PST by teacherwoes (A fugitive from a Democrat Congress)
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To: SmoothTalker
Just wait till the credit card solicitations start. ...and no way the kid can opt-out himself.
3 posted on 02/27/2007 10:17:24 AM PST by TexasCajun
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To: teacherwoes

My mom still gets mail, and ironically, Capital One keeps sending credit card offers to our (now dead) pet rabbit, despite the fact that I have told them to stop. The rabbit also got offers for scholarships from the U.S. Army.


4 posted on 02/27/2007 10:19:16 AM PST by rabscuttle385 (Sic Semper Tyrannis * Allen for U.S. Senate in '08 * Duncan Hunter for President in '08)
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To: teacherwoes; rabscuttle385

Ugh. Forgot to mention that my mom has been dead since 2005.


5 posted on 02/27/2007 10:19:47 AM PST by rabscuttle385 (Sic Semper Tyrannis * Allen for U.S. Senate in '08 * Duncan Hunter for President in '08)
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To: rabscuttle385

This is horrible, but she can have a little fun at the junk mailers expense. just put the crap from junk mail A into the pre paid envelope of junk mail B, and so on.......then take the most offensive one, and tape the pre paid return envelope to a brick and mail it...they will have to pay the additional postage due.


6 posted on 02/27/2007 10:22:07 AM PST by joe fonebone (Either grow a pair, or vacate your chair...)
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To: SmoothTalker

My wife died in 2000. Every month she still gets in the mail a pre-approved credit card application. I have a shredder.


7 posted on 02/27/2007 10:22:09 AM PST by pabianice (LLY)
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To: SmoothTalker

We get mail for my deceased father-in-law. He never lived with us. But after he died in 2002, my mother-in-law moved in with us in 2003.

I wonder what the sources are for this kid's info? Obviously these groups are just buying the lists from somewhere.


8 posted on 02/27/2007 10:22:51 AM PST by Corin Stormhands (RINO = Rudy Is Number One)
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To: joe fonebone

I think you can return what they sent you. But I'd be wary about postal regulations for sending anything else.


9 posted on 02/27/2007 10:23:45 AM PST by Corin Stormhands (RINO = Rudy Is Number One)
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To: teacherwoes

I wonder how many people will still be receiving spam fity years after they die.


10 posted on 02/27/2007 10:24:10 AM PST by Paleo Conservative
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To: joe fonebone

Unfortunately, she's not around any more. What's really bizarre is that we moved, and advertisers started sending mail to her at our new address.

Meh. What really bothers me is the mail for our now-deceased pet. I mean...credit card issuers are busy financially raping their customers with usurious interest rates and yet they want to offer credit lines to a *dead rabbit*?


11 posted on 02/27/2007 10:26:41 AM PST by rabscuttle385 (Sic Semper Tyrannis * Allen for U.S. Senate in '08 * Duncan Hunter for President in '08)
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To: SmoothTalker

We gave my F-i-L a cat named Just Plain Tigger. He sent for stuff for him from a cat food company and had it sent to J.P. Tigger. They got all kinds of mail for him for years.


12 posted on 02/27/2007 10:27:15 AM PST by DJ MacWoW (If you think you know what's coming next....You don't know Jack.)
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To: rabscuttle385

After my dad died he received an offer for a credit card in the mail. My mom called them and said that he had died but she would still want the card. They turned her down.
She then called them up and "suggested" that they reconsider. They offer a card to a dead man but won't offer a card to a live woman, probably not a great idea.
She received the card within a few days.


13 posted on 02/27/2007 10:27:29 AM PST by Holicheese (Beerfest could be the greatest movie ever made!)
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To: SmoothTalker

My daughter died in 2004 and I just toss any mail she gets. No big deal! Don't get the wrong impression. I miss her every day. She still gets junk mail about getting a car loan, etc. I have more important things to worry about such as my brother dying in May, 2006, my husband dying in July 2006 and my mom dying in January, 2007.


14 posted on 02/27/2007 10:28:38 AM PST by MamaB
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To: SmoothTalker

WOW!!!! Having my 1st child 4 months ago made me appreciate this article a lot than I would have a year and a half ago.


15 posted on 02/27/2007 10:29:58 AM PST by SengirV
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To: Corin Stormhands
"I wonder what the sources are for this kid's info? Obviously these groups are just buying the lists from somewhere."

Government records......they get sold.

16 posted on 02/27/2007 10:32:38 AM PST by goodnesswins (We need to cure Academentia)
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To: Corin Stormhands

do not send anything with your name on it....the envelope the junk came in, and all the other crap, except the part with your name and address on it.......


17 posted on 02/27/2007 10:34:25 AM PST by joe fonebone (Either grow a pair, or vacate your chair...)
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To: MamaB

Oh my, I'm sorry. May God bless you and walk with you every day.


18 posted on 02/27/2007 10:34:50 AM PST by Quilla
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To: rabscuttle385

My grandmother has gotten 2 jury duty notices from the state of Louisiana in the past 4 years, she passed in 2001. My dad received the first notice 7 months after her death, he told the state (after the 1st notice) she died. Two years later my dad received a second jury duty notice for my grandmother.


19 posted on 02/27/2007 10:37:06 AM PST by YoungSoutherner
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To: SmoothTalker

Yes...

and how about this: I heard that someone got hold of the social security number for a 10 yr old boy and used it to open up credit card accounts, etc. By the time it was discovered, the lad's credit was already ruined and he had nothing to do with it.


20 posted on 02/27/2007 10:37:30 AM PST by raccoonradio
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